Water heating means



Sept. 21, 1937. J. F. SHAMROD WATER HEATING MEANS Filed June 8, 1934 INVENTOR JESfiamroaj BY MM ATTORNEY I 1 I I I I. If

Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UE'E'E STATES A'EEN'H' EFFEQE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to water heating apparatus, and aims to provide an improved and efficient water-heating construction for maintaining hot-water service at a minimum cost.

For this purpose I have devised a water heating unit adapted for use with a boiler outfit in such relation that the water supply conducted through the unit is maintained at a suitably high temperature by heat-exchange operation as effected by circulation of the water from the boiler through said heating unit.

It is also sought to provide a construction in which the temperature of the water being heated is maintained practically uniform by automatic regulation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and economical apparatus of simple construction, having nothing of a nature likely to get out of order, and so constructed as to be readily and quickly serviced for repair or cleaning purposes when. required.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of construction which I have devised for the practice of the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a boiler and Water heating apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view (on a larger scale, and with a portion broken away) illustrating the water-heating unit; and

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views, representing sections taken on the lines ti and 55, respectively, of Figure 3,the view shown in Figure 5 being on a still larger scale.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a common type of boiler i9 is shown for use with the improved form of water heating equipment, through which the hot water from the boiler is circulated. This improved equipment comprises a cylinder l2 provided with an assembly of water tubes M connecting spaced partition plates l5, thus providing a chamber it for the water from the boiler to flow through said tube assembly. The cylinder I2 is located below the water level (indicated at H) of the boiler ill, and provided with an intake connection ll therefrom communicating with one end of the chamber I6 midway between the top and bottom thereof, and also with a return connection it to the boiler, leading from the bottom of the opposite end of said chamber it back to the bottom portion of the boiler it, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, the opposite ends of the cylinder 92 are fitted with removable head plates 20 and 2!, in spaced relation to the partition plates l5,--the plate 2! thus forming the outer Wall of a bypass chamber 22 for the flow of the water being heated in the direction of the arrows from the lower tubes M to the upper tubes l t; whereas the space between the plate 26 and the tube assembly is divided by a horizontal partition 2 3 into a lower intake chamber 25 (provided with a cold water supply connection 2i and an upper outlet chamber 27 provided with a hot water outlet or service connection 2B. A suitable sediment outlet 29, fitted with valve 38, is also connected with the bottom of the by-pass chamber 22. Each of the plates and 2t fits against an annular gasket 38 engaging a shoulder provided by an internal ring 32 secured inside the cylinder l2,the plate 2E! also engaging a transverse gasket strip 33 which fits against the outer edge of the horizontal partition Each of the plates 2t2l also carries a central outwardly projecting screw 34 for cooperation with a toggle clamping device comprising a plate 35 slidingly mounted on the screw and provided with a plurality of radially extending toggle arms 1% pivotally connected (as at 37) to the plate 3% and formed with bosses 38 for engagement with the outer faces of said plates 23-2i. through suitable slot openings 39 in the cylinder l2, from which it will be apparent that as the operating nuts 49 are threaded up on the screws 35 the arms 36 are straightened, toggle-fashion, to clamp the plates Ed and iii securely against the gaskets to tightly close the opposite ends of the cylinder 52.

The partition 24- between the chambers 25 and 27 is provided with a valve 42 for by-passing water between said chambers as required for regulating the temperature of the water delivered by the service outlet 28. This valve is mounted in a tubular member it having its lower end threaded into said partition and formed with a valve seat 35 within the lower chamber 25 and ports 46 lead- K ing from said valve seat into the upper chamber 2l,said valve being held normally closed by means of a coil spring 41 around the valve stem inside the upper portion of the tubular member '43 which is formed with openings 44,al1 as The free ends of the arms 36 project clearly shown in Figure 5. The upper end of the tubular member A3 is received within a sleeve 48 secured to the upper portion of the cylinder I2 in oifset relation to the outlet or service pipe 28 for allowing the latter to lead out from the extreme top portion of the outlet chamber 21. This sleeve 58 is provided with a removable closure member 59 engaging the upper end of the tubular member 43 and serving as a mounting for an adjustable copper or thermostat rod 52 provided with the screw thread 53 for permitting the lower end of said rod to be adjusted for abutting engagement with the upper end of the stem of the valve 42.

Thus the thermostat rod 52 serves as a device for automatically opening the valve in response to varying temperatures of the water flowing through the chamber 21, and the manual adjustment of said rod enables the same to be set to correspond to given temperatures at which the valve will be caused to open to permit cold water to be by-passed directly through the ports &5 into the upper or outlet chamber 21, as will be readily understood. It will also be seen that as the water which is bypassed through the ports 13 is discharged to the exterior of the perforated sleeve 43, the latter shields the valvecontrol parts from the too direct action of the water entering the chamber 21, by causing a certain degree of mingling of the water currents before entering the openings M. A suitable thermometer 54 may, if desired, be mounted in connection with said outlet chamber 21.

In the use of the apparatus, it will be understood that with the heating unit connected with the boiler in the relation illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and the boiler having been fired in the usual manner, the chamber Iii being below the water line H of the boiler as shown,a flow of hot water will be maintained continuously through said chamber it around the water tubes 54 through which the water to be heated flows from the chamber 25,--first through the lower tubes M to the chamber 32 and thence back through the upper tubes l4 into the chamber 21. The thermosiphonic fiow of water from the boiler through the heating unit Will of course continue as long as the temperature of the boiler water is above that of the water being fed to the heater unit; and as the water entering the chamber 25 follows the course indicated by the arrows, its temperature will necessarily be increased by heat-exchange action during its passage through the tubes I l and until drawn off by way of the service outlet pipe 28.

The relative sizes or proportions of the boiler connections and the water supply and service lines will of course be such that the flow of boiler water through the tube chamber IE will be sufficient to afford a heating capacity adequate for any desired temperature of water to be supplied by the pipe 28.

By regulation of the thermostat rod 52, its expansion may be caused to open the valve in response to a given rise in temperature in the chamber 2'5 and thereby admit cold water directly from the lower or intake chamber and thus retard the heating effect of the unit to that extent,the valve again closing automatically as soon as the proper temperature of the service water is restored. In this way a practically uniform temperature of service Water may be maintained for the outlet or service connection, and of whatever degree of temperature may be desired (within the range of the boiler water temperature), according to the adjustment of said rod 52.

The apparatus is thus of a highly serviceable as well as very economical character, and of particularly economical value in connection with the hot water service of large establishments where boilers are installed as part of the heating equipment, since an effective heating unit of the type herein described can derive its heating action directly from the boiler in a most practical and eificient manner. Its economical efliciency is particularly demonstrated in seasons when the heating plant is otherwise closed down, at which times the boiler need only be fired long enough to raise the temperature of the boiler water to the required degree, following which operation the heating of the hot-water service supply continues for a considerable period of time, due to the thermosiphonic circulation of the boiler water, or until its temperature has fallen below that of the desired temperature of the water to be supplied through the service connection 28.

It will also be noted that the repair and maintenance of the heating apparatus may be carried out readily and conveniently, due to the character of its construction. In the case of any defective action of the valve, the closure element 56 and rod 52 may be quickly removed, or the tubing 43 and valve parts themselves may also be removed for attention if necessary.

The sediment outlet 29 removes sediment collecting in the chamber 22, and as often as the tubes M need cleaning, this may be attended to by removal of either or both of the plates 23 and 2!, by simply loosening of the nuts 40 and disengaging of the arms 36 from the slot openings 29. Where the plate 28 is thus removed, the tubing 43 and valve parts may also be removed to facilitate access to the corresponding ends of the water tubes l4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is:-

Apparatus of the character described comprising, a member provided with a plurality of valve ports and also formed with an integral perforated sleeve, a spring-actuated valve for controlling the flow through said valve ports and having a stem projecting within said sleeve, said valve ports being arranged to direct the flow therethrough to the exterior of said sleeve, and a rod carried by said sleeve for abutting engagement with the stem of said valve, said rod and sleeve being of difierent coefiicients of expansion for effecting thermostatic regulation of the valve, said rod being also mounted within said sleeve and shielded thereby from direct efiect of the flow traversing said ports.

JOHN F. SHAMROD. 

